33 The Action of Nitric Oxide on Metallic Peroxides 



suspended in Water. Part I. 



By Barun Chandra Dutt and Surya Narayan Sen, 



Scottish Churches College Laboratory. 



[Read at the First Indian Science Congress on January 15, 1914.1 



In a previous paper (Proc. Chem. Soc, 1913, 29, 235 

 one of the present authors in collaboration with two others, 

 discussed the reaction which takes place when nitric oxide 

 is passed through a neutral solution of potassium permanga- 

 nate in an atmosphere of hydrogen. It was pointed out that 

 a nitrate is formed and that there is no intermediate forma- 

 tion of nitrous acid. We accordingly thought that milder 

 oxidizing agents might bring about the formation of nitrites, 

 and with a view to ascertain whether this is really the case, 

 we decided to study the action of nitric oxide on metallic per- 

 oxides suspended in water. Sabatier and Senderens (Compt. 

 Rend., 114, 1476-1479) have shown that when the gas is 

 passed into water containing lead dioxide, manganese dioxide 

 and silver oxide, appreciable quantities of nitrite are formed, 

 even when air is entirely absent. The reaction is most distinct 

 in the case of the lead compound so that a solution containing 

 four grams, of lead nitrite per litre can be obtained; if the 

 passage of the gas is prolonged, or if the liquid is concen- 

 trated, basic lead nitrite is formed. It was thought desir- 

 able to repeat the experiment with lead dioxide before study- 

 ing the action of the gas on other peroxides. 



2. The nitric oxide was prepared by dropping a solution 

 of sodium nitrite into a saturated solution of ferrous sulphate 

 in strong hydrochloric acid. It was stored up in gas-holders, 

 and before being allowed to come in contact with the mixture 

 of lead peroxide and water it was washed thoroughly by bub- 

 bling through caustic soda solution contained in two wash 

 bottles. A small quantity of lead dioxide with about 50 cc. of 

 water was introduced into a flask which was placed in connec- 

 tion with a three way stop-cock. Of the two free-ends of the 

 stop-cock one was connected with a hydrogen generator and 

 the other with the gas-holder containing nitric oxide. The air 

 in the flask was first displaced by a slow stream of hydrogen 

 and the contents were then heated to boiling to expel dis- 

 solved air. After cooling to the ordinary temperature (29°-30°) 

 of th§ laboratory in a current of hydrogen nitric oxide was 

 bubbled through the mixture of lead peroxide and water for 

 several minutes with constant shaking. The whole of the 



